Starting Over (2) – Own It

Welcome to CROLCC, we are so glad you are here worshiping with us. Last week we started the series Staring Over and our goal for this series is that no matter what you are trying to start over in life, how we can ensure next time won’t be like last time. We all have our share of regrets. Sometimes it’s our faults and sometimes it’s somebody else’s faults. But interestingly we tend to learn from our mistakes in the areas that matter least, and we continue to repeat our mistakes in the areas that matter most.

One reason history repeats itself is that we don’t own our parts of our history.  And the reason you don’t own it is there’s nothing to own—it wasn’t your fault!  Right?!  But if something important has come to an end and you are starting over, you must look back and own your part in order to move ahead.  To ensure a successful future is to own your share of the past.

Moving Forward

We can’t blame our way into a better future. Blame enables us to smuggle our issues into our futures. Blame sets us up for a repeat performance. Purity of heart brings clarity of thought. If you want to take all of yourself into the future as you start over, you’ve got to come out of hiding. It’s painful. It’s shameful. But it’s beneficial. Besides, admitting sets other people free as well.  Own it so it won’t own you, so it won’t follow you into the future.

Changing Your Mind

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Matthew 5:8

Discussion Questions

1. When something goes wrong, even in a small way, is your instinct to blame others or to take responsibility? How does this affect your relationships with others?

2. Talk about a time when you’ve seen someone repeat mistakes from the past because that person didn’t take ownership of his or her part of those mistakes.

3. Why do you think it’s so difficult for people to recognize their roles in past mistakes?

4. What are some things in your past from which you’ve hidden? In what ways did that make you unavailable for the people in your life?

5. What is one area of your life where you haven’t owned your part of past results? What can you do this week to begin to own your part? What can this group do to support you?